Burkina Faso: Compaore gets green light to run for third mandate

Burkina Faso’s Constitutional Court has thrown out an opposition bid to stop President Blaise Compaore running for a third term in elections which are less than a month away. Five opposition candidates in the 13 November poll had appealed to the court to declare Compaore’s bid for re-election null and void on the basis of Artcle 37 of the constitution, which sets a two-term ceiling on the office of president. In 1997, the clause was amended by a stacked parliament, which lifted the ceiling to enable heads of state to remain in office for life. But in 2000 parliament re-introduced the two-term limit and reduced the presidential term from seven to five years in office.